Codex (Warhammer 40,000)

Example early 3rd edition Codex (Imperial Guard) Each codex had its own lettering style for the title.

Example late 3rd edition Codex (Imperial Guard) All of these longer codices had a standard black border and common title style.

Example 4th edition Codex (Space Marines) All codices had a standard grey metal-effect border and common title style. 5th Edition Codices have continued this styling.

A codex (often pluralized as codexes by Games Workshop, though the grammatically correct pluralization is codices),[1] in the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop wargame, is a rules supplement containing information concerning a particular army, environment, or worldwide campaign.

Codices for particular armies were introduced for the second edition of the game. The third edition rendered these obsolete, and a new series began, including introducing codices for battlezones and campaigns.

Until superseded by newer versions, the 3rd edition and later codices remain valid for the newer editions of Warhammer 40,000 (currently the oldest valid codex is Codex: Chaos Space Marines - 6th Edition). Games Workshop no longer produce campaign or battlezone codices, instead releasing 'expansions'. 'Codex' is now a term solely used for army books.

A codex normally contains:

Background - Information about the force and its place in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. This includes artwork, short stories, and copies of fictional documents from the future.

Bestiary - A description of the units, characters and vehicles that can be chosen for use in a battle. This includes their characteristic values, information on their weapons, and any limitations on their use, as well as background information on the unit. The army's special psychic powers (if any) and wargear is also listed here, showing the rules for each item, as well as any legendary artifacts the army may use.

Hobby section - Information on collecting, building and painting an army from the codex. This features outstanding example models painted by veteran hobbyists and Games Workshop's'Eavy Metal team.

Army list - The items in the bestiary are arranged by type and given a points value, with more powerful units costing more points, so that battles are fought between balanced armies. Options are also given here along with their cost.

In June 2013 Games Workshop introduced new codex supplements. Codex supplement books are additional rules and options for an army's standard Codex and contain additional background. These options often include new relic lists, warlord traits, and Special Characters to be used within the detachment. A detachment using a codex supplement may also ally with the parent codex, and vice versa. The parent Codex is required to use the supplement. For example, Iyanden is a supplement to Codex: Eldar that allows Craftworld Iyanden specific rules to be used in an Eldar army.

In June 2014 Games Workshop redesigned the basic layout of the codex, as standard for 7th Edition. New 7th Edition codices will now contain:

Background - Information about the force and its place in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. This includes artwork, short stories, and copies of fictional documents from the future - (The same style as before).

Showcase - This is the old Hobby Section that now contains just pictures of the Citadel Miniatures; painted by Games Workshop's 'Eavy Metal team.

Army List - This contains datasheets for every unit and a wargear list. A datasheet contains the complete rules and points values needed to field a unit and a picture of the model from the Citadel Miniatures range. It also includes a description of the unit, as per the old bestiary.

Appendix - This contains a complete, detailed list of all the army's weapons, special rules, psychic powers, warlord traits and any detachments or tactical objectives it may have. It also contains a quick reference sheet at the very back.

The range of codices is regularly updated with new editions of armies and occasionally new army codices. However, all codices prior editions of Warhammer 40,000 are still valid in the current edition, unless a later version has replaced it.

The parent Codex (noted in the parenthesis) is required to use the supplement. For example, Iyanden is a supplement to Codex: Eldar that allows Craftworld Iyanden specific rules to be used in an Eldar army.

A supplement is for use in standard games, though they may significantly alter the game (such as by adding super-heavy vehicles to normal games, or the many supplemental battle missions). An expansion is normally a different way to play the game (such as the large scale battles of Apocalypse, or the different campaign expansions). Supplements are considered part of the main rules available in normal games. Expansions must be agreed upon by all players before the game begins, to see if that set of expanded rules are in use.

Dataslates are a way to digitally add new rules and new units to the game. For Characters, Dataslates give the full rules and points to include that character in the listed factions.

Formations are a group of units that work together in a specific battlefield role, and they are taken as a separate formation detachment (the alliance rules are in place for allied formations). For example, a primary detachment from Codex: Space Marines could take the Tau Firebase Support Cadre formation and it would count as a battle brother, however, the Space Marines would not be able to take a tyrannic formation (as tyranids can not be allies). NOTE: Multiple formation detachments may be taken.

Apocalypse units and formations follow the rules in the Apocalypse Rulebook.

Dataslate

Kind

Faction

Release Date

Khârn's Butcherhorde

Formation

Codex: Chaos Space Marines

December 2014

Mephrit Dynasty Resurgence Decurion*

Formation

Codex: Necrons

December 2014

Flesh Tearers Blood Rain Strike Force*

Formation

Codex: Blood Angels

December 2014

Angel's Fury Spearhead Force*

Formation

Codex: Blood Angels

December 2014

Angel's Wrath Intervention Force*

Formation

Codex: Blood Angels

December 2014

Dark Angels Librarius Conclave

Formation

Codex: Dark Angels

December 2014

Kranon's Helguard

Formation

Codex: Chaos Space Marines

December 2014

The Unrelenting Hunt

Formation

Codex: Dark Angels

December 2014

Officio Assassinorum

4 Assassins

Officio Assassinorum

August 2014

Gerantius - The Forgotten Knight*

Vehicle Character

Codex: Imperial Knights

July 2014

Looted Wagon*

Unit

Codex: Orks

June 2014

Space Marine Strike Force Ultra

2 Formations

Codex: Space Marines

May 2014

Kabalite Stormsurge*

Apocalypse Formation

Codex: Dark Eldar

May 2014

Exhalted Flamer of Tzeentch*

Character

Codex: Chaos Daemons

March 2014

Tyranid Onslaught - Rising Leviathan III

5 Formations

Codex: Tyranids

March 2014

Helbrutes

3 Formations

Codex: Chaos Space Marines

March 2014

Tyranid Invasion - Rising Leviathan II

5 Formations

Codex: Tyranids

March 2014

Tyranid Vanguard - Rising Leviathan I

5 Formations

Codex: Tyranids

January 2014

Tyrannic War Veterans

Unit + Formation

Codex: Space Marines (Chapter Tactics: Ultramarines)

January 2014

Cypher - Lord of the Fallen

Character

All Imperial Codexes (except Dark Angels) and Chaos Space Marines

December 2013

Reclusiam Command Squad

Formation

Codex: Space Marines

December 2013

Centurion Siegebreaker Cohort

Apocalypse Formation

Codex: Space Marines

December 2013

Eldar Ghost Warriors

Formation

Codex: Eldar

December 2013

Adeptus Astartes Stormwing

Formation

Codex: Space Marines

December 2013

Tau Firebase Support Cadre

Formation

Codex: Tau Empire

December 2013

Be'lakor, The Dark Master

Character

Codex: Chaos Daemons, Chaos Space Marines

December 2013

A * indicates a White Dwarf Exclusive and no digital version available.

Altar of War Missions can be used instead of the Eternal War missions in the main rulebook, however the named army's Altar of War missions can only be played if that army is one of the primary detachments in the battle. For example, a battle is being fought between Tyranids and Imperial Guard - the Imperial Guard player has also brought along a baneblade. They can either play the eternal war missions or choose to play/role on the tyranid OR Escalation Altar of War missions.

Altar of War

Publish Location

Release Date

Cryostorm

Digital

December 2014

Haemonculus Covens

Supplement: Haemonculus Covens

October 2014

Champions of Fenris

Supplement: Champions of Fenris

August 2014

Waaagh! Ghazghkull

Supplement: Waaagh! Ghazghkull

July 2014

Compendium: Altar of War

Compendium: Altar of War*

April 2014

Crimson Slaughter

Supplement: Crimson Slaughter

March 2014

Imperial Knights

Digital & Altar of War

March 2014

Tyranids

Digital & Altar of War

January 2014

Escalation

Escalation

December 2013

Clan Raukaan

Supplement: Clan Raukaan & Altar of War

November 2013

Sentinels of Terra

Supplement: Sentinels of Terra & Altar of War

October 2013

Space Marines II

Digital

September 2013

Black Legion

Supplement: Black Legion & Altar of War

August 2013

Altar of War Vol. 1

Digital

July 2013

Farsight Enclaves

Supplement: Farsight Enclaves & Altar of War Vol. 1 & Altar of War

July 2013

Iyanden

Supplement: Iyanden & Altar of War Vol. 1 & Altar of War

June 2013

Eldar

Digital & Altar of War Vol. 1 & Altar of War

June 2013

Tau Empire

Digital & Altar of War Vol. 1 & Altar of War

April 2013

Chaos Daemons

Digital & Altar of War Vol. 1 & Altar of War

March 2013

Dark Angels

Digital & Altar of War Vol. 1 & Altar of War

February 2013

Chaos Space Marines

Digital & Altar of War Vol. 1 & Altar of War

February 2013

Space Marines I

Digital & Altar of War Vol. 1 & Altar of War

August 2012

The Bold type indicates that this publication is available in print (*Compendium: Altar of War is only available in print). Codex Supplements are available both in print and in digital formats. If the publish location reads digital, it means the digital publication, located on iTunes, is called Altar of War: (Name specified in the first column).

The * above indicates a 'mini-dex' - a smaller codex requiring a parent list to complete its army list. For example, Codex: Dark Angels required Codex: Space Marines for shared units and wargear. Codex: Assassins could be used with either Codex: Imperial Guard or any Space Marine army.

Battlezone codices were rules supplements that dealt with a specialised combat environment, instead of an army. There was only ever one produced. However, material in Codex: Catachans provides rules for jungle warfare. The concept of a Battlezone codex was replaced by Games Workshop's Expansions.

The two event codices were released in association with the 2000 and 2003 Worldwide Campaigns. These codices provided background and special gaming rules for the event, along with four "supplemental army lists"; variant armies that required access to certain other Codices for use.